5 Important Things To Know About Washing Your Dishes

Dishwasher appliances aren’t commonly found in Filipino homes, which means that we have no choice but to wash our dirty dishes and kitchen utensils by hand.

But did you know that there much more to washing dishes than simply running dishes under water and dish soap? If you want to make sure that all your dishes are free from potentially harmful bacteria and germs, keep these helpful tips in mind.

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Washing is different from sanitizing

You may assume that when you wash your dishes, you are also stripping away all the bacteria on them, but that’s actually not true. Ensuring that your dishes and cookware are bacteria-free requires so much more than just water and dish soap.

You can try two methods: Soak your dishes in a very hot water bath (around 170 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 30 seconds, or in a solution consisting of a tablespoon of chlorine bleach and a gallon of cool water for about a minute.

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Prioritize the cleaner dishes

To avoid spreading germs further, it is best to wash the cleaner dishes, such as glasses, first. Save the dirtiest ones, like pots, pans, and serving dishes, for last. You may opt to submerge the dirtier dishes in a sanitizing solution while you take care of the cleaner ones.

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Use hot water and dish soap for degreasing

The first step to being able to clean your dishes effectively is by stripping them of grease and leftover food particles. For this, a combo of hot water and dishwashing soap is advisable. However, if you are washing dishes with food particles that are more difficult to remove, it would help to pre-soak them in hot water combined with dish soap or baking soda for about 15 to 30 minutes before washing.

Instead of using a dish towel (which can also be full of germs) to dry your dishes, air drying is the better option, as it prevents the spread of germs on the dishes. However, if it’s absolutely necessary, use a clean towel to wipe down your dishes, and make sure to replace it regularly when it gets too wet.

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Sanitize your sponge

It’s not just your dishes and dish towel that need to be kept germ-free, but also your sponge or brush. There are two ways to sanitize a sponge: Either soak it in a cup of vinegar for around five minutes, or in a cup of diluted bleach (1/2 cup of bleach for every gallon of water) for the same amount of time. It would also help to regularly replace your sponge.